Childproof safety cap for a pressurized dispenser

ABSTRACT

An aerosol safety cap for an aerosol container including inner and outer telescoping members. The outer member includes depending movable locking means which move into conformity with the interior of the annular bead of the mounting cup of an aerosol container when engaged by the telescoped inner member to lock the members in position. Means is provided for gaining access to the inner member to release the locking means.

United States Patent [191 Focht CHILDPROOF SAFETY CAP FOR A PRESSURIZED DISPENSER [75] Inventor: John Richard Focht, Yonkers, NY. [73] Assignee: Precision Valve Corporation,

Yonkers, NY.

[22] Filed: Apr. 17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 244,670

[52] US. Cl. 222/182 [51] Int. Cl B67d 5/32 [58] Field of Search 222/182, 562, 563, 570, 222/60, 27; 220/60, 27, 55 Z, 55 Y, 24.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,920,799 1/1960 Binder 222/570 X 3,102,657 9/1963 Wilhelmi 220/245 3,212,718 10/1965 Green 3,224,645 12/1965 Frost 222/182 X [451 Aug. 27, 1974 3,262,601 7/1966 Formo 222/182 X 3,438,537 4/1969 Hendrickson et a1 222/182 X 3,514,011 5/1970 Madeira et a1 222/182 X Primary Eraminer-Allen N. Knowles Assistant Examiner-Norman L. Stack, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Davis, Hoxie, Faithfull & Hapgood ABSTRACT An aerosol safety cap for an aerosol container including inner and outer telescoping members. The outer member includes depending movable locking means which move into conformity with the interior of the annular bead of the mounting cup of an aerosol container when engaged by the telescoped inner member to lock the members in position. Means is provided for gaining access to the inner member to release the locking means.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures CHILDPROOF SAFETY CAP FOR A PRESSURIZED DISPENSER The present invention relates to an aerosol safety cap and more specifically to an aerosol safety cap which can be securely locked to the annular bead of a conventional aerosol container to prevent removal of the cap until it is unlocked.

Various aerosol safety caps are known in the art. One such prior art safety cap is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,262,601, issued to I. O. Formo. Formo discloses an outer cap with an inwardly directed annular lip which is resiliently contracted for locking. Downward force on a slidable inner shell radially expands the annular lip to clear the container bead and unlock the outer cap.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a locking aerosol safety cap which may be readily locked to an aerosol container to prevent actuation and which may be readily relocked after use.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a locking aerosol safety cap which is substantially immune to removal by a child, but easily removable by an adult.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a locking aerosol safety cap which may be readily and economically molded.

Other objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent when the detailed description is considered in conjunction with the drawing as follows:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an aerosol safety cap according to the present invention in an unlocked condition on the container;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 1 showing the aerosol safety cap installed and locked;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the aerosol safety cap after it has been released from its locking position;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the outer cylindrical member; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of another embodiment for the locking means.

Referring to FIG. 1, the aerosol safety cap is shown mounted in an unlocked condition on a conventional aerosol container 11 and retained thereon by friction. The container 11 is closed by a closure member in the form of a mounting cup 18 which carries a dispensing valve 12 and its actuating button 14. The mounting cup 18 is affixed to the mouth of the container by an annular rolled bead 16 formed at the junction of the container 11 and the mounting cup 18.

The safety cap 10 includes a generally cylindrical outer member 20 and a generally cylindrical inner member 22. The outer cylindrical member 20 includes inner and outer concentric skirts 24 and 26 which depend downwardly from bridging top wall 28. The inner and outer concentric skirts 24 and 26 are radially spaced relative to one another a distance at least equal to the radial width of the bead 16 for positioning on opposite sides thereof.

The inner concentric skirt 24 has integral locking means, generally indicated at 30, extending downwardly therefrom. The locking means 30 includes spaced deflectable lugs or toes 32 with ramp projections 34 extending inwardly therefrom. Portions 37 of the lugs 32 may protrude inwardly from the inner skirt 24.

The inner'cylindrical member 22 includes a top wall 35, and a depending cylindrical sidewall 36. When the cap is in place and locked, the top wall 35 is retracted or telescoped within the outer member 20. The depending side wall 36 has an outer diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of the inner skirt 24, slightly greater than the diameter circumscribed by the ramp projections 34, and approximately equal to the diameter circumscribed by portions 37 of the lugs 32.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the safety cap 10 is initially installed by placing the inner and outer skirts 24 and 26 of the outer cylindrical member 20 on opposite sides of the annular bead 16 of the conventional aerosol container 11. The inner skirt 24 is positoned substantially in contact. with the interior of the annular bead 16. The inner cylindrical member 22 is telescoped within the inner skirt 24. Force is then exerted on the top wall 35 of the inner cylindrical member 22 to lower it and to deflect the ramp projections 34 radially outwardly as the inner member 22 contacts and slides with respect to the ramp projections 34. The projections 34 are forced outwardly under the interior of the annular bead 16. The projections 34 are wedged or held in this locked position against the annular bead 16 by the cylindrical sidewall 36 of'the inner cylindrical member 22.

The outer cylindrical member 20 also includes finger receiving depressions 38 defined by sloping portions 39 of the bridging top wall 28 which join the outer skirt 26 to the inner skirt 24. These finger depressions 38 allow an adult to grasp radial flange 42 to pull the inner cylindrical member 22 upwardly to clear the locking means 30 allowing them to relax radially inwardly to allow removal of the aerosol safety cap 10 from the container 1 1.

Advantageously, a lever means, shown as a coin 40 in FIG. 3 or other like implement, may be used to move or pry the inner cylindrical member 22 up from its locked position. The tool or lever means 40 may be positioned in one of the sloping finger depressions 38 and used to apply a force to the undersurface 41 of the radial flange 42 of the top wall 35 of the inner cylindrical member 22.

FIG. 3 shows the relationship between the inner and outer cylindrical members 22 and 20 after the locking means 30 has been released as previously described.

Referring to FIG. 5, a modified locking means 30A is illustrated. These modified locking means 30A are downwardly extending lugs having inward projections 34A. These lugs differ from those of the previously described version in that they are extensions of the wall 24 of the cap and are not offset inwardly.

The aerosol safety cap 10 of the present invention is easily relocked after each use of the container by simply replacing the aerosol safety cap 10 on the container 11 and pushing or striking the upstanding inner member top wall 35 to drive the inner member 22 downwardly to again expand thelocking means 30 into locking engagement. Removal is easily accomplished by an adult by grasping and pulling or prying the inner member 22 upwardly with respect to the outer member 20. The hand span and dexterity required to grasp the inner member at the diametrically opposed finger depressions 30 are beyond the abilities of young children. The force required to pull the inner member outwardly can be made great enough to exceed the abilities of young children by creating an interference fit between the inner cylindrical member 22 and the portions 34 and 37 of the locking members 30. Further, the pulling motion required is not one which a child would inadvertently accomplish in random play or by striking the aer osol safety cap 10. It is a motion which requires deliberate finger or tool placement and manual strength.

It should be appreciated that the aerosol safety cap of the present invention can be used with aerosol containers having rolled annular beads 16 or other projections circumscribing the top closure and button. Further, the cap 10 may also be employed with containers having an outer annular bead formed between the container sidewalls and top wall. Further it may be desirable to include a keeper means in the form of a lug or key on the members 20 and 22 to prevent removal of the inner member 22 after the locking means 30 has been released, until outer member 20 is also removed.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cap 10 is retained on the container I] by friction even when it is not in its locked position.

What is claimed is:

l. A relockable safety cap for enclosing the contents access means of a container, the exterior of said container having a radially inwardly projecting annular bead surrounding the container contents access means, said safety cap comprising:

an outer member including a cylindrical skirt and re siliently deflectable locking means depending from said skirt, said locking means fitting under the inward projection of said annular bead when locked, said locking means including protrusions projecting radially inward; and

an inner member enclosing the container contents access means, said inner member including a top wall and a depending cylindrical sidewall telescopically slidable within said cylindrical skirt to engage the inward protrusions of said locking means and to outwardly deflect said locking means into a locking position under said inwardly projecting bead when said sidewall is telescoped downwardly within said skirt to lock the safety cap to the container and to release the safety cap from the container when said inner member is withdrawn from engagement with said inward protrusions, said inner member sidewall being substantially enclosed by said outer member when telescoped downwardly within said skirt.

2. The safety cap defined in claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced members and wherein said inward protrusions are downwardly and inwardly extending ramp projections on each of said members.

3. The safety cap defined in claim 1 including means to permit withdrawal of said inner member from said skirt comprising a radially outward projection on said inner member and an upper portion of said outer member defining an access clearance beneath at least a portion of said projection when said sidewall is telescoped downwardly within said skirt.

4. A relockable safety cap for enclosing the contents access means of a container, the exterior of said container having a radially inwardly projecting annular bead surrounding the container contents access means, said safety cap comprising:

an outer member including a cylindrical skirt and resiliently deflectable locking means depending from said skirt, said locking means including outer surface portions configured to engage the under side of the inward projection of said annular bead; and

an inner member enclosing the container contents access means, said inner member including a top wall and a depending cylindrical sidewall telescopically slidable within said cylindrical skirt into contiguous relationship with said locking means to maintain the outer surface portions of said locking means in engagement with said annular bead when said sidewall is telescoped downwardly within said skirt to lock the safety cap to the container and to release the safety cap from the container when said inner member is withdrawn from contiguous relationship with said locking means, said inner member sidewall being substantially enclosed by said outer member when telescoped downwardly within said skirt. 

1. A relockable safety cap for enclosing the contents access means of a container, the exterior of said container having a radially inwardly projecting annular bead surrounding the container contents access means, said safety cap comprising: an outer member including a cylindrical skirt and resiliently deflectable locking means depending from said skirt, said locking means fitting under the inward projection of said annular bead when locked, said locking means including protrusions projecting radially inward; and an inner member enclosing the container contents access means, said inner member including a top wall and a depending cylindrical sidewall telescopically slidable within said cylindrical skirt to engage the inward protrusions of said locking means and to outwardly deflect said locking means into a locking position under said inwardly projecting bead when said sidewall is telescoped downwardly within said skirt to lock the safety cap to the container and to release the safety cap from the container when said inner member is withdrawn from engagement with said inward protrusions, said inner member sidewall being substantially enclosed by said outer member when telescoped downwardly within said skirt.
 2. The safety cap defined in claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced members and wherein said inward protrusions are downwardly and inwardly extending ramp projections on each of said members.
 3. The safety cap defined in claim 1 including means to permit withdrawal of said inner member from said skirt comprising a radially outward projection on said inner member and an upper portion of said outer member defining an access clearance beneath at least a portion of said projection when said sidewall is telescoped downwardly within said skirt.
 4. A relockable safety cap for enclosing the contents access means of a container, the exterior of said container having a radially inwardly projecting annular bead surrounding the container contents access means, said safety cap comprising: an outer member including a cylindrical skirt and resiliently deflectable locking means depending from said skirt, said locking means including outer surface portions configured to engage the under side of the inward projection of said annular bead; and an inner member enclosing the container contents access means, said inner member including a top wall and a depending cylindrical sidewall telescopically slidable within said cylindrical skirt into contiguous relationship with said locking means to maintain the outer surface portions of said locking means in engagement with said annular bead when said sidewall is telescoped downwardly within said skirt to lock the safety cap to the container and to release the safety cap from the container when said inner member is withdrawn from contiguous relationship with said locking means, said inner member sidewall being substantially enclosed by said outer member when telescoped downwardly within said skirt. 